The Breakup Bagarre
by April Twelving
Summary: A series of small, rather nondescript pieces of how Hotaru feels after her breakup with Ruka Nogi.
1. Chapter 1

**April's Note: Based on a personal breakup. Let me know how it is, and if you'd like to read more of this :)**

**Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice or anything related to it is owned by the rightful people, and not me. The plot and its setting are however mine, and I'd like you to not infringe on it, please. **

* * *

Her heart quickens and skips a few beats altogether when she sees a new e-mail pop up, when his name is marked in thick, bold black letters, indicating that the new, unread message is from him.

The messages he has been sending of late have been hateful, dripped in antagonistic splashes of angry words, reflecting sorrow though he pretends it is not.

A sour sniff; it certainly wouldn't be the same as her sorrow for unfeeling as she was thought to be, their relationship has had a greater impact on her than him. It is so like him to backlash when the greater part of the fault was on him. Ruka Nogi had another side from what met the eye.

And she is the only one to know that.  
It hurts her too much.

But oh no, it is alright!

For any message from him, whether hateful or not, excites a new spark in her, makes her do a little mental jig of happiness for you see, each message from him means that he is well in health, that his heart beats just fine, that he is living.

Her love lives and that alone is enough for her.

There will be no more of such heart beats quickening at his texts, for he will not text her anymore. She, too, promised that she would not pen down anything to reach across to him.

She will have to learn to be contented with her heart beating fast when she merely recollects thoughts of him, of them.

She will have to learn it the hard way, and face life face on.


	2. Chapter 2

Miscommunication was a b*tch. Hotaru preferred talking things over anything else. Whether it was Mikan who might as well be family, or her clerk at work or even if she was in an important meeting with the Directors of the Board, proper communication was an aspect she always insisted over. She had always believed that there was no substitute to communication, to talking and negotiation.

Miscommunication was indeed a bitch, she thought, while scrolling through the twenty day old conversations she had had with her…well, ex. She'd promised herself that she'd let go of everything binding her to him but somehow couldn't get her finger to simply hover over and press that delete button and wipe out all those telephonic, textual memories of them. It hurt because she knew what went wrong though he might not have a clue.

Miscommunication happened. And that was why it was such a b*tch.

In a haze, she realized that it wasn't her fault that it happened, it was all his. Though some part of the fault was definitely hers, she wasn't to blame, she wasn't guilty.

This is wrong, she thought, when having understood that she'd been putting herself to the guilt-stand all that time. Still, it hurt to manually erase everything. She told her phone what to do, and the deed was done. He was out of her life yet again in another small, largely meaningful way.

It all started with a text. And it was only proper that it ends with a text, too. And all that texting was never equal to talking things out.

Miscommunication—all over again.

* * *

**Tell me how it was! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice or anything related to it is owned by the rightful people, and not me. The plot and its setting are however mine, and I'd like you to not infringe on it, please.**

* * *

'A confident woman is already beautiful' is what she could make out from the way the tiny pixels were coordinated on the large screen. With being the final sentence of a long lashing text from her best friend, it served as a slap on her cheek. The unharmed cheek was then slapped when she realized that the line was her own; it framed the front cover of her autobiography and Mikan had meant to type it in the end hoping Hotaru Imai might get a kick out of her own words.

Tossing the phone aside, she made her way to the bedside mirror, taking in her reflection very carefully, ingesting every detail of her tear stained face, noticing how the hollow look of her sunken cheeks killed the bright red that once lived there, and made her look ghastly. What did she see? What did her reflection represent? None of that beauty in Mikan's text was shown, that much was certain. She was ugly. She looked ugly, felt ugly. She felt that her confidence depended on those memories of him she'd stacked up in her system. But that sort of confidence was ugly. Hotaru knew that.

She was born beautiful; always confident, never relying on others and carving out her own path in the world, making the world acknowledge that she was truly special was her forte. This, she always realized and it was what kept her drive focused-that she was an alpha.

Ruka Nogi blew in, then blew out and his wind carried away her confident beauty and that sense of Hotaru-ness. His aftermath left her solely mourning after having buried her unshakable strength under several deepest layers.

Disgusted, stern eyes followed a violet hairbrush's movements until the object shattered the mirror across-this sort of ugliness was abominable to her. It was not her.

'I am beautiful' was echoed aloud mentally for a good deal of time till it ingrained in her just a bit. The broken glass was picked slow.

And then, Hotaru picked up her senses, her confidence, herself. Ruka Nogi was now a reflection of the past, and she knew she could break that; he was now another broken shard of glass, ready to be picked up and dumped in the trash.


	4. Chapter 4

**April's note: I wrote all of this while traveling on my phone. Hope my readers like it :)**

**Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice or anything related to it is owned by the rightful people, and not me. The plot and its setting are however mine, and I'd like you to not infringe on it, please**

* * *

It was the thirteenth of that month. Yesterday would have been their eighteenth month anniversary together, had they not separated.

A document sheet was turned during an intense check and that was when the ominous date was noticed; since the day realization had slapped her in the face, she had pulled herself to work with all her might, not minding day nor night in a near blinding sense of wanting to work, to achieve, to simply do anything but sink into herself.

Tims flies when one least expects, they say. Why not otherwise, why would it not fly for her now, why did the day suddenly feel stretched out for her after noticing the date, why should it feel elongated like the ever handy, cheap and brightly colored rubber bands though it had been only twenty minutes since then? No, twenty three minutes actually-she didn't understand why she spent each second of those twenty three minutes only looking at the clock tick sluggishly and abandoned her important document. The latter was specially so unlike Hotaru.

The landscape of the city's vast skyscraper population seen through through the crystal clear, custom designed bullet proof glass of her fifteenth floor office provided a canvas to play out her reminiscing images. The ride on that Ferris Wheel with him, stargazing on that distant cliff that was in view, dinner on top of that intimidating tower for their twelfth month anniversary...

It seemed that every object in her sight had been berating her about him, about them, about what they were and what she lost out on. It was unfair to her when she'd been doing her best to block and avoid it all that time.

Would it be the same for him, would he recall the twelfth of every month, reminisce their past and secretly long for those times like her, were a few questions that constantly stalked her at times like these.

But she knew it well, she knew he didn't have it as bad as her. He had already been happily flirting within a month of their split, and she'd painfully discovered that when scrolling her social news bulletin online.

With a final sad sigh, a slight forward slump of the shoulders, Hotaru Imai decided that she had wasted enough time thinking about that slimeball. The earlier document that distracted her was picked up and perused with great renewed interest.

It was from the Nogi Corporates, a renewal proposal for the contract between their companies that was soon to expire. Hotaru smirked, bright dollar signs in place of her violet orbs. Screw personal interests, this would rake in a good deal. The contract was signed away, and so was her heart along with it.

* * *

**Reviews? Opinions? ^^ **


	5. Chapter 5

**April Says: Make sure to read my notes at the end. :)**

**I started to write out this chapter with an entirely different plot in mind from what you are going to read. However, I later forgot what I had in mind. I finished writing this out on my phone like always at a cosy little hotel at an ancient town called Tiruchengode at Tamil Nadu, India. Enjoy!**

Replies:

1\. Sweety Girly: Thank you so much for such an encouraging and honest review! I am glad you thought so, and will work at getting better at Rukaru. I hope you get better at it, too!

2\. Guest (BlackMaskedBeauty): Here's your update! :)

3\. MagicalxDarkxMoonxLord: I am very sorry if I have not replied to your review from before. Please don't be sorry. I am just happy enough that I can create a good read for you from what happened in my life.

**Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice or anything related to it is owned by the rightful people, and not me. The plot and its setting are however mine, and I'd like you to not infringe on it, please.**

* * *

The clock struck one and the cafeteria staff braced themselves for the influx of people who would have been so overworked that they'd have to be served their orders without the slightest delay; everyday work at that branch of the Imai Enterprises was always as busy as a beehive. Though there would be complaints about the work load from the employees at some point or the other, none really detested it. Their collective hard work was what kept their position secure as the second wealthiest company in Japan.

Hotaru Imai was the driving force behind it all. Her employees and colleagues adored her, respected her for that.

Half an hour into the lunch hour had passed and still, the wicker basket bearing the tag 'From Mikan Hyuuga' lay untouched in its usual spot on the couch. Although she teased Mikan that her cooking sucked, Hotaru couldn't nearly do without Mikan's cooking for lunch. The time they spent together as roommates at college made Hotaru addicted to her best friend's cooking.

No matter how busy she would be around lunch, she'd usually finish whatever Mikan sent; it was even normal for Mikan to come over to her office to stick spoonfuls of her food while Hotaru would be poring over files, or working on her inventions. That wouldn't be possible now as Mikan was in the final trimester of her pregnancy.

Sure she would want to waddle over to feed her best friend. But both the said best friend and her overprotective husband would make sure she stays swathed at home under much care.

Half past two said the clock. The sun somehow shone too bright and hot against the thick glass barrier of the room. Add to this the tension of the meeting having risen in the room. Plus, also add the intern stammering through her presentation, taking up more time to get to the point.

And Hotaru Imai's stomach rumbled about.

It is well understood that the sudden crabby behavior of one may be pointed towards less food intake on their part. With that said, good reader, imagine a hot blooded and short tempered woman like Hotaru staying on an empty stomach, sacrificing her hunger to add more worthy work hours and finally subjected to listening to a rather nervous intern's talk.

Yup, her patience snapped like the string that held together a hundred helium balloons; the balloons float up to the sky from the hand that held them, soaring far away up onto the wide sky before bursting out loud when they can't take the altitude anymore. Hotaru's carefully composed manner melted upon the low rumble of her stomach.

Abruptly rising up to her feet, she shot a sharp glance at the poor intern, dismissed the meeting with a nod at her secretary.

Rounded a corner, made her way to her office, to her awaiting lunch basket. Saw a mass of expensive silver suit, shiny shoes and golden blond hair. A pair of twinkling green eyes to top it all off.

It was him. It was Ruka Nogi, her ex.

* * *

**April says: Merry Christmas! Here's a small gift from me to you all. The recent ex with whom I had a break-up about which I am basing this story upon? It is ironically his birthday today. Real sad it is, given the rude reply I got when I wished him over a text this morning. I'm just glad that I conveyed across the wish like I wanted to, regardless of whether the reply was downright rude or not. But I'm seething.**

**I'm going to spin the next chapter around the feelings and those three texts from this morning. Hope you like it. **

**Reviews, please? ^^**


	6. Chapter 6

**April says: Hello! I apologize for being away for too long-I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have forgotten the story-line. I was hoping to update this chapter as I'd had enough motivation but after that died away after my break-up, I didn't feel like continuing this. And LOTS of things have been going on in my life as well. But I'm much better now and am back on track! **

**Hope you like reading this new chapter! **

Replies to my lovely reviewers at the end of the chapter! :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or anything associated with it. The rightful owners do.**

* * *

That suit though…that suit he wore…

Why did it ring a bell?

_**Flashback:**_

_It was that time of the month again, that time when even __the__ Hotaru Imai who would always be the toughest nut to crack, would brace herself for the worst and in fact, cringe at it while suffering. Yes, that's right: Hotaru's periods had just started out._

_If there was anything that Hotaru would be jealous of Mikan it would be for the non-painful periods her best-friend (as if Hotaru would express __this__ verbally) always experienced. It was as if Mikan's sunshine-like attitude won over even the loathsome periods: Mikan's lady-time wouldn't have any impact on her save for an increased appetite and occasional mood swings that would mostly be appeased by Hyuuga. Hotaru smiled fondly while thinking of how even Hyuuga's core had been cracked and was now complete mush because of that idiot. _

_Hotaru's lady-time meant that personal appointments at work would be cancelled, and that all meetings would happen over the internet with her perched at the chair's edge at her dining table while being home—perfect non-tousled hair, business attire for her torso, and short-shorts or just panties for below…well, only her head and torso will be seen through the video calls after all._

_The meetings would go smoothly if she felt good and if not, would usually end up with the people at the other end of the screen face Ms. Imai having a deathwish. The said deathwish would mostly be non-existent thanks to the Nogi Inc.'s boss being around to" charm and calm" the Imai Inc.'s boss—this would be unknown to all, of course._

_Ruka would always be there: being the sensitive and caring fiancé that he was, he would carefully jot in his soon-to-be-better-half's monthly cycles in his smartphone's calendar, and when her date neared, would be prepared with all of her favorite food, DVDs, musical pieces, flowers…oh well, he knew how to pamper his woman. _

_So he would be there. Even when the video calls would go on, yes. Sometimes, he would be massaging her tummy by sitting below, next to her chair so her cramps wouldn't cascade a waterfall of wrath onto the people Hotaru was talking to, and at other times, he would whisper sweet nothings into her ear or kiss her hotly or would massage her back when there were little breaks in between…_

_All was well, all was very well._

_One particular afternoon however, Hotaru's lady-time made her all too dizzy thanks to which she was under a deep sleeping spell. There was a video call scheduled at 15:17 with an important client and Ruka was home with her by 14:56. Ruka had just then entered using his spare-key when he heard her smartphone buzzing so much that he who never pried on her phone had to make a run to her room from the main door to pluck it away from her bedside lest it wake her up. He noticed the buzzing reminder notifying of Hotaru's meeting that was within the next half hour. _

_Ruka sighed; he didn't want to wake his fiancé from her periods-induced slumber but nonetheless, work was work as she would put it herself. Besides, he knew that Hotaru would be furious if he didn't wake her up on time now that he was around. He made his way to her curled-up frame on the bed, sank down into the fluffiness of her bed and fully dressed, still in his grey suit from work, rolled over to her side to engulf her tight in his long arms. Peppering the back of her neck with hot, wet kisses, nuzzling it occasionally, and by gently massaging her scalp was how he got her to wake up not before long._

_When she gave him an annoyed look, all he had to do was show her phone's notification to send her struggling to get away from him to go to her work-desk. But struggling was all she could do; she found it painful to get up and even turn the other way around. Noticing how problematic it was for her to simply get up, Ruka offered in soothing tones that he would e-mail her client and ask to re-schedule the video call to another day. _

_A long pause later, a long, frustrated sigh from his fiancé told Ruka that she gratefully accepted his offer. He made a few taps on her phone (of course, he knew her lock-screen code…) and a couple of minutes later, sank in back with her into the bed, kissed her forehead lovingly, and told her that the call would be re-scheduled to next week._

_She turned her head back to see him, to thank him, which she did by giving him one full kiss on his lips. She saw his form: blond hair that had slightly strayed, a bright, calm and loving expression on his prince-like face and then his rumpled grey suit. She raised a carefully shaped eyebrow at that, and his gaze followed hers. _

_Ruka chuckled. "Let it be," he said and leaned in for another kiss after which they both dozed off, him hugging her from the back, into oblivion until the clock struck 18:06._

* * *

That was it! This was that suit. Or at least it was nearly the same shade as that.

So that was why the color was so startlingly familiar…

She let out a small chuckle; this situation was way too ironic to handle what with him standing right in front of her. Ruka heard her chuckle, saw her eyeing his outfit rather interestedly. He faked an awkward cough to bring her attention back to his for after all, he wanted this visit over and done with as soon as possible.

He saw her head rise up sharply, and saw her make her way towards him with a surprisingly pleasant smile on her usually-stoic face, her violet orbs twinkling.

* * *

**April says: How was it?! Not bad for an update after a long, long time? I am sorry it was short though. Please let me know through your reviews? :)**

_Replies to reviewers for CH 5:_

_Sweety Girly:_ Hello, thank you so much for the review! I'm glad it made you happy! Yes, but I put in a little flashback before they properly meet so that there's a little bit of spice, a little bit of something to make the next chapter more interesting! Oh well, ex's are all like that eh.. I'm sorry I couldn't wish you back on time for Christmas, but I'm making up for it here! :)

_MagicalxDarkxMoonxLord:_ Hi, thanks so much for that really inspiring review! I'm very sorry that I'm replying this late, but I hope this chapter makes up for it! :) And calm down, there's more in store! ;)

_Carolle Royale:_ Hello, and thanks so much for the reviews! Your reviews for all the chapters completely made my day! Yes, Hotaru definitely misses him a lot, but is firm by her decision of having wanted to break-up with him. Aand yes, I figured that Ruka wouldn't have a straight-faced bold personality like Natsume, so I gave him the break-up-over-text sort of character. Although that's what happened in my life- this story is a mirror image of my break-up. Well, nearly a mirror image.

Mikan can be quite smart when she needs to be eh ;) Thank you! I hope I can continue this same image of Hotaru throughout this story! Hotaru will be one-track-mind lady no matter what, she would of course sign the contract! Yes, yes, Ardhanareeswarar temple is the very place! I am an Indian as well, yay! :D Thank you once again! Here's a cliffhanger once again! :D


End file.
